“Jeddah – Expatriates violating the labor law as well as the Haj and Umrah regulations will be deported and banned from reentering the Kingdom. The state will no longer bear the expense of deporting the violators except in certain unusual circumstances. These punitive measures are part of the new regulations approved by the Council of Ministers.

“There are 14 Articles in the new law drafted by the Expert Committee at the Council of Ministers, a copy of which was obtained by Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

“According to the new regulations, companies, firms and individuals involved in cover-up business would face a recruitment ban for five years. This penalty will be enforced if they involve in employing expatriates in violation of the labor law or allowing expatriates in their sponsorship to work with others or work for their own personal gain. Such workers will be deported at the expense of those who cover them up.

“Article one of the law says that the Ministry of Interior, represented by various security agencies, will be in charge of carrying out inspections to catch the violators, including those who work for their personal gain, those who stay away from sponsor or those who overstay their Haj, Umrah and visit visas or infiltrators, and will take suitable penal action against them. The violators will be deported at the expense of their employers.

“If the worker was missing from the employer who in turn informed the authorities about him (huroob), in such cases, the expense of deporting the violator will be borne by those with whom the expatriate was working. If they are arrested while working for their own personal benefit, then they will be deported at their own expense.

“In other cases, the expense shall be borne by the concerned Haj or Umrah or service firm. Such firms should inform the concerned authorities about foreigners who came on Haj, Umrah and visit visa and overstayed or absconded, and if they fail to do so, they have to face penal action for covering them up.

“Articles of the new law stipulate that all government and private companies and firms should ensure that all those employed by them or working under them are not violating provisions of the labor the residency laws.”